Corruption

Rainbird,
£15.95 disk only

Set in the vicious world of high finance, Corruption
explores a topical subject — insider-dealing. To the uninitiated, this illegal
practice involves using sensitive, confidential and privileged company
information to make a huge profit by buying and selling shares on the Stock
Exchange. Buy when the shares are cheap and are going to rise suddenly — before
a takeover bid — and sell when the shares are expected to make a sharp drop —
just before a company goes bankrupt. The plot thickens with the additional
shady dealings in drugs — especially cocaine — which high-powered executives
snort through silver straws.

Derek Rogers has just been promoted to a full partner in the
stockbroking firm of Rogers and Rogers (Rodgers the Dodgers? — Ed). Along with
his new job he also gets a new office, a secretary and the obligatory BMW. But
behind this respectable façade David Rogers, Derek’s partner, is up to no
good. The Porsche-driving David is up to his neck in corrupt deals and the
Fraud Squad are onto his trail. Being of a devious and indeed sinister nature,
David decides to frame his unknowing partner, Derek.

The adventure commences on the day of Derek’s promotion. Your cunning
colleague is already scheming behind your back, forging evidence which he
intends to plant on you. Resorting to violence against this slimy reptile is of
no use — hitting him results in David spouting some bad language and knocking
you out! When you awaken, you find yourself in a police cell and the Fraud
Squad have found the evidence to convict you for insider-dealing. Best to play
it thoughtfully.

Derek’s only hope is to recover the evidence to make sure that David
grabs the ‘wrong edge of the blade’. An air of mystery and suspense is created
by the strange goings-on at the firm. There are odd substances hidden in toilet
cisterns and secretaries who won’t even let you use the phone (you’re so well
thought of that your office doesn’t have one).

To aid the player in this perplexing scenario, the packaging contains
many useful hints in the filofax-style documentation. This includes a helpful
diary/address book, a casino gambling chip (!), and a cassette containing
conversations between David and Derek. Also recorded on the cassette is some
pleasant Corruption (not corrupted) music to listen to while
you’re wandering around the London streets.

As in previous Magnetic Scrolls adventures, Corruption
features a highly sophisticated parser which is necessary for the extensive
character interaction involved in proving Derek’s innocence. Problems
involving objects are limited mainly to the simple ‘key unlocks door’ type.
Derek seems to be able to carry an infinite number of items, removing the
all too typical problem of careful object selection. This freedom
epitomises the general feel of Corruption, Derek has few
restrictions. The real problems involve manipulating the many characters
which Derek meets on his travels. Trying to extract valuable clues from
them while hiding your devious intent is particularly hard.

Unfortunately, most of the people working at Rogers and Rogers are
distinctly curt and unhelpful. Miss Jenkins, David’s secretary, is
particularly touchy and can certainly not be trusted. In fact she seems
virtually illiterate and blurts out things like ‘You’re confusing me wiv
all them big words’. (Get your LMLWD out, luv — Ed.) The only thing she
knows is how to shred David’s incriminating documents, whilst the only
things she can file are her nails!

Success can only be achieved by being cunning and daring — search your
colleagues’ offices while they’re out. Mind you, Derek’s plight provokes
much sympathy — even his bitchy wife is having an affair with David, and
now she wants a divorce. (It doesn’t rain, it pours — Ed.) The poor guy
can’t win! With the sinister scenario it’s a relief that the odd bit of
humour is present: in the hospital TV room there’s even a teddy bear named
Boris, with a stethoscope (could come in useful?) round his
neck!(?)

Corruption is a deep and intriguing adventure. Although
the Spectrum version lacks the graphics of those on other machines, it
loses nothing in atmospheric qualities. The modern setting also makes a
refreshing change from the usual diet of mythical scenarios — an extremely
professional package which might prove a little too difficult for novices.
With so few adventures around, this has got to be one for the adventure
alcove.